Meet the LLAMA Research Team

Chandra Lewis

Co-Principal Investigator

Chandra Lewis is a Senior Research Associate at the Portland office of RMC Research with 17 years of experience conducting research on and evaluations of federal and local programs. Chandra values in-person meetings, developing long-term working relationships with her clients, and collaborating with clients during the proposal writing stage to assist with the development of a clear project vision that increases the likelihood of funding. Chandra’s primary area of expertise is evaluating STEM K-12 education projects, but her work has spanned a wide range of content areas from at-risk youth programs to technology for the learning disabled. Chandra is an avid reader, a fan of organization, an enthusiastic number cruncher with a story to tell, and a problem solver.

Jean Hiebert Larson

Project Director

David Yopp, Dr.

Principal Investigator

Dr. David Yopp is a Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Idaho, Moscow. David Yopp's interests include teaching and learning with and through viable argumentation and the knowledge needed for effective mathematics instructional coaching. He has published in numerous research journals including but not limited to: The Journal for Mathematical Behavior, Educational Studies in Mathematics, Investigations in Mathematics Learning, For the Learning of Mathematics, The Mathematics Teacher, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, Teaching Children Mathematics, the MAA Focus, and Linear Algebra and Its Applications.

Robert Ely, Dr.

Co-Principal Investigator

Dr. Robert Ely is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Idaho, Moscow. Dr. Ely’s research focuses on (a) how students reason with the infinite and infinitesimal, particularly in calculus, and (b) K-12 student justification and viable argumentation in the classroom, particularly with generic examples. He has published research articles in a variety of journals, including the Notices of the American Mathematics Society, Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, and Journal of Mathematical Behavior.

Anne Adams, Dr.

Co-Principal Investigator

Dr. Anne Adams is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Idaho, Moscow. Dr. Adams has an ongoing interest in the development of student mathematical reasoning and the use of content literacy strategies for sense-making in mathematics. Her work focuses on teachers’ role in developing, eliciting, and supporting student reasoning. She also focuses on working with teachers to enhance strategies for teaching and learning mathematics with understanding for all students.

Xin Wang, Dr.

Co-Principal Investigator

Joined RMC Research as a Research Associate in 2012. Xin has extensive expertise in quantitative research design and analysis, including instrument development, psychometrics, and advanced statistical analysis. She also has experience in focus groups, mixed-methods research, and program theory-based evaluation. In RMC, Xin has worked on a variety of research and evaluation projects and also contributed to the design and implementation of technical assistance projects for seven Central Region states including Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. She currently serves as co-principal investigator for three research projects funded by the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Wang received her BA from Ocean University of China, Foreign Languages College, her MA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Division of English as an International Language, Teaching English as a Second Language, and her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in Educational Psychology.